After missing a year, the Duck Pluck children's festival and fundraiser is back for a seventh time.
The Children's Festival and Duck Pluck Raffle, June 20 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., is a day for families to celebrate and to raise money for the Parent-Tot Drop-In and Bellies and Babies nutrition classes.
"This kind of reaches the most vulnerable families," said Leslie Aveling, event co-ordinator for the Sunshine Coast Community Services Society.
Aveling said there are more than 30 raffle prizes to be won, including a $4,600 leather furniture set from Clarke's Home Furnishings, Vancouver Canucks tickets and night in a Vancouver hotel, lobster dinner for four at the Blackfish Pub in Gibsons, one night at the Rockwater Resort at Secret Cove and more.
The Gibsons fire department will set up a pond that the ducks will be dropped into.
"We're selling 3,000 tickets with numbers that will correspond with ducks," Aveling said. "We're going to get a couple of dignitaries and the public has the opportunity to pluck ducks too."
Sponsors for the event include Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and Sunshine Coast Community Services Society. Raffle tickets can be purchased ahead of time at RBC in Gibsons and Sechelt, at kiosks in Sunnycrest and Trail Bay malls on weekends and on the day of the event at Dougall Park in Gibsons when the draws start.
"Graham Walker was the very first person to step up to the plate," said Aveling of the musical children's entertainer.
Walker has offered a performance free of charge, and Aveling said the other entertainers and events being geared toward the 12 and under age group will be free, all for a good cause.
Look for Walker, miniature horses, stilt walkers, a bouncy castle, face painting, kids' activities, a barbecue and more.
